THINKING BIBLICALLY….. FOR PRACTICAL LIVING

This post may be presented differently this time, as I’m going to envisage that you may be sitting right here with me across from my computer screen.  I’d offer you tea or coffee,but since that’s an impossibility, let’s just imagine that delight.  OK?

I don’t know about you, but I often have real practical questions that I’d love to ask and involve others in what they might contribute.  Even though we may have been born and live in different countries, with their unique culture, we’re all so similar due to the fact we’re human.

Regardless of the maturity level in our walk with our Savior, if we belong to Jesus, we should continue to grow more like Him in our walk, our talk, and our thought-life.  Resembling more of His attitudes, response and outreach to others in our life.  Perfection will come when we’re “with Him…in His presence.”  But right now, we’re in His school of education: like on-the-job training.

One area of passion that continues to grow for me is that I want to experience His presence more in the day-to-day of life.  Yes, we have our “quiet times” or “devotional intervals” where we read His Word and talk with Him.  But more importantly, I yearn to “listen” more and increasingly digest His Word. 

The past few months have been a bit stretching, to say the least.  The playground of my life has been around people who have strong opinions about issues in life, and they have felt prompted to unfold them with vigor in my direction.

Let me just ask…. have you encountered an explosion of unrequested opinions in your direction, when you haven’t asked for them?  I know, we’re all “designed differently, and have different personalities,” I get that.   But personally, my inner posture has the tendency to want to abandon the conversation and quickly vacate the premises.  Are you like that?  Maybe not, but that’s how I’m wired.

The human part of me wants to retort or counter their comments and, to be blatantly honest, put them in their place.   That is, a place that would move them some distance from me.   Well, that’s not the prescribed response that would honor God, now would it?  Remember, I’m being humanly honest, not biblically correct.

This particular morning, I asked Jesus to show me how I am to respond to comments or situations that frustrate, disappoint, or hurt me.  I’m not talking about preferences, but things that are done to us or around us that just aren’t pleasing to God or encouraging to those listening.

Perhaps you’ve had numerous scenarios like this yourself and you wonder how can you change things or adapt.  I really wanted to hear from God.  I wanted His perspective and guidance from His Word.

Wouldn’t you know, He does want us to know the right thing to think, to do, or to say (or not say).  Better we come away from those types of personal interactions wishing we’d said more, than wish we’d said less!

This verse in Psalm 119:9 came like a gushing fountain to my mind.

Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking HEED according to Your Word.”

God is not into shouting into our packed-full, mobile phone-carrying and activity-addicted life.  His preferred communication is in a “still small voice” through His Word, through our circumstances, and through wise, and mature Godly counsel. 

I’m not the brightest button on the blouse, but I’ve found that when I read a Scripture, I assume that I understand the meaning of most of the words on the page. But this day, I relinquished my pride and decided to employ Webster’s dictionary as my help-mate to what some of the key words might mean, and how God may be “still small-voicing me” with His counsel.

I’m going to invite you to look over my shoulder of discovery on a couple of words that made me “think.”  What does it mean to take HEED to His Word?

HEED:  It means to:  pay attention, to comprehend, to bear in mind, to take heart, to be guided by, to follow and be alert to obey

When I first became a follower of Christ Jesus, I knew next to nothing.  Many of the descriptive words in the Bible and cliches’ were all new to me.  So, I used “the dictionary” many times to check and see if I really knew what the key words in a verse meant.  After locating some of the key words, I’d use a thesaurus (to view the synonyms of that word) or an ordinary dictionary to broaden the meanings of a specific word in the text. 

Then I would rewrite the scripture verse using some of the various synonyms.  In doing this, it expanded my thoughts on what the verse meant.   And I’m not referring to taking the verse out of context … I trust you know what I mean.

As I glanced down further to verse 15, I came across another two words for which I “thought” I knew their meaning.   I employed Mr. Webster’s tool and my thesaurus again, and to my surprise, the key words seemed to explode on the page.

Psalm 119:15 “I will MEDITATE on Your PRECEPTS and CONTEMPLATE Your ways.”

Lord, what does it mean to “meditate” on Your “precepts” and to “contemplate” Your ways?”  May I bring you with me to class with me again?

MEDITATE:   It means to think over, to reflect, to focus on one thing, to fully concentrate or ponder

PRECEPTS:   Principle, directive, guideline, doctrine, commandment, working principle, law, instruction intended to regulate thought or behavior

CONTEMPLATE:   It means to examine, study, to regard, to scrutinize, to observe, to look thoughtfully, to pore over, and to search

To take to heart God’s instructions on how to live, think, behave and speak and serve.

Illustration of re-writing Psalm 119:15  by re-writing it, using the meaning of some of the key words. 

‘Focus, reflect, ponder and think deeply on God’s instructions and directions, along with examining, scrutinizing and looking thoughtfully at what God says to help you regulate your behavior about your actions, attitudes and speech so it reflects God’s way, instead of the ways of the world.’

God wants us to take our time to really “think deeply” about what He says, rather than just run through the verses, saying to ourselves, I’ve read that…and rush on to another chapter or verse.                                                                              

Get serious about what the Lord of Heaven has just communicated to us.  Isn’t that astounding, that the Creator of the universe and our personal “Creator/Designer” speaks personally to you and to me!

If we were in another country and the premier, the president or the leader wanted to chat with us, what preparations would we make.  I would certainly have a pad and pen ready to take notes to gain information.  But God, Almighty wants to “communicate with each of us.”  He doesn’t leave a voice-mail!

He will speak, when we’re ready to hear and listen.   And those are two different verbs.  I may hear what He says to me, but listening involves “obedience;” Yes Lord, it’s an attitude on which “I will act on what I hear.”  IT’S TAKING GOD SERIOUS, isn’t it?!

Going back to the beginning of this “blog” …. I wanted to know from God, how do I handle this situation, that has wounded me?  I asked Him to show me, in His Word what to do.   And believe me, He did.  But it wasn’t a “rushed response” like we wish for.

I think this is the reason we need to spend “quality time with Jesus” to be able to be “tuned into His frequency,” and not be ready to pop off to our next task.

To bottom-line all this:  Many things are better left unsaid, and many opinions are better left unspoken, not only for the sake of others, but for the sake of one’s own well-being.

So, would you like to join me in God’s “Crafting Comments” class?  Like any delicious recipe, you want to “weigh the ingredients” so things will turn out right and digestible. 

There are numerous scriptures that serve as a compass for our words.  Here are just three.

Proverbs 15:28a “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking”   

Proverbs 16:23 “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds learning to his lips.”

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

I’ve just now closed this blog….and will now close my mouth, and close down the keyboard.  See you in “class.”